Hi-Rez Highway: REVIEW: Outlaw ICBM Accessory by HFHalligan@aol.com

Model:	ICBM
Category:	Accessory
Suggested Retail Price:	$249
Description:	Bass management componet for SACD and DVD-A
Manufacturer URL:	Outlaw
Manufacturer URL:	Outlaw

Review by HFHalligan@aol.com ( A ) on April 29, 2002 at 17:17:03
IP Address: 66.66.198.69

Add Your Review
for the ICBM

I have a home theater system of Klipsch Heritage speakers with matching speaker components. The Klipschorns go down about 35 Hz but start rolling off around 40Hz. The LaScalas go down to 45Hz but start rolling off around 55Hz. The bass is incredibly clean and undistorted. Both speakers are extremely realistic due to their dramatic dynamic range and clarity due to the rapid speed of recovery (been termed as â€œhair trigger dynamicsâ€). The center channel array of speaker components (same as others but with an Altec 511B wide dispersion horn coupled to the Klipsch mid range driver) in a custom made floor to ceiling TV monitor stand. Klipsch LH10s and a JBL Pro 4638 bass tower as well as a KSW15 used only for movie LFEs complete the set up.
The bass management on my SACD player was limited, hence the ICBM. Like all Outlaw products it is of very high quality at a very low price due to direct internet only distribution. After a little experimentation I sent a full range signal to each Klipschorn / LH10 combo including the cut off bass from other speakers. I set it for 120Hz for the center speakers which probably due to being part of the monitor stand tended to muddy up the great bass from the Khorns more than slightly. The LaScalas side surrounds (2 stacked and angled like two giant Bose cubes) were set at 60Hz and the rear LaScallas (one in each corner â€“ receiving matrix rear info derived by my outstanding 6.1 Outlaw 1050 receiver from side surround content) sounded best at 80Hz due either to their corner placement, the matrixing or close proximity to the JBL bass tower which got the .1 content. The ICBM has controls to adjust the levels of LFE and subwoofer (redirected) content from all the speakers. While the setting for the center seems too high (bass gets directional above 80Hz} it is not because the bass below 120Hz is redirected to the two Khorn/LH-10 combos and separated (another ICBM feature) between left and right origin with the center divided equally between the two. So, no problem, it seems to come from the center. Canâ€™t do that with many digital processing receivers and preamps (can with 1050!} but none I know of can do it with an analog signal from an SACD or DVD audio player. The ICBM can plus other options!
The ICBM does not add any noise whatsoever! The sound quality of the SACD portion of my system is nothing short of spectacular and breathtaking. I am using,in my opinion, some of the finest full range speakers ever made, yet each has a different bass redistribution point due to a number of different factors. The ICBM allowed me to optimize this setup. If you want SACD multichannel sound of the highest quality, I believe in most cases that you have to have the Outlaw ICBM.

Product Weakness: None from my perspective
Product Strengths: Effective,advanced bass management for SACD and DVD-A multichannel playback

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Outlaw 1050 Direct inputs
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	None
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	SACDmods.com modified Sony CE775
Speakers:	Klipschorns & LaScalas
Cables/Interconnects:	Outlaw
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical,/Telarc 1812 MC/Mahlar Symphony # 5 MC on Telarc; Jazz/ Swing Live! MC on Chesky/Chuck Mangione: Everything for Love MC on Chesky; Classical Pop/ Joshua Bell West Side Story Suite on Sony
Room Size (LxWxH):	24' x 12' x 6'10"
Room Comments/Treatments:	Absorption & Diffusion panels, Bass traps.
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 months
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	None from my perspective
Product Strengths:	Effective,advanced bass management for SACD and DVD-A multichannel playback